HONG KONG — China is calling on U.S. authorities to investigate the death of a scientist who was found inside a university building in Michigan.
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The Chinese assistant research scientist was discovered after falling from a significant height at the University of Michigan’s George G. Brown Building, the university said in a statement. Authorities responded to a report at approximately 11 p.m. ET on March 19.
The university said the incident is being investigated as a “possible act of self-harm.”
“We are not able to provide additional details at this time,” the statement added.
Liu Pengyu, a spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy in the U.S., told NBC News on Thursday that officials were “deeply distressed by this tragedy.”
“The Chinese side has repeatedly lodged solemn representations with relevant U.S. government agencies and universities regarding this case,” Liu said, adding that officials had “established contact with the victim’s family immediately” to provide assistance.
He also urged Chinese students in the U.S. to “heighten their safety awareness” and “handle U.S. law enforcement actions appropriately.”
Neither the university nor the Chinese authorities have publicly identified the researcher, but the South China Morning Post newspaper in Hong Kong reported that the man who died was Wang Danhao, a Chinese semiconductor researcher. The paper cited a Chinese embassy spokesperson in Washington as confirming the identity.
According to the university’s website, Wang worked as an assistant research scientist in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering. His research interests included interdisciplinary electrical engineering.
On March 27, China’s Foreign Ministry suggested the researcher may have faced pressure from law enforcement, saying the U.S. must cease “discriminatory law enforcement action” that leads to Chinese students and scholars facing “unwarranted questioning” and “harassment.”
“China urges the U.S. side to conduct a thorough investigation into this case,” foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said, adding that the U.S. must provide a “responsible explanation” to the victim’s family and to China.
Those calls were reiterated Wednesday, when foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said China would “continue to take necessary measures to firmly safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese citizens.”
It was not clear whether Chinese authorities felt that alleged actions by law enforcement led to the death.
NBC News requested comment from the Department of Homeland Security, the Immigration and Customs Department, and the Michigan State Police, but had not heard back by the time of publication.
Experts say the incident has resonated in China, reinforcing a perception that Chinese students in the U.S. may face scrutiny from authorities.
“This tragedy resonates in China because it reinforces a public perception that Chinese students in America often are subject to harassment from law enforcement officials,” said Ryan Hass, director of the John L. Thornton China Center.
Despite those concerns, Hass said the incident is unlikely to alter Chinese President Xi Jinping’s efforts to strengthen people-to-people ties between the United States and China.
“I do not expect this tragedy to alter Xi’s encouragement of greater societal connectivity as a buffer against geopolitical friction,” he added.
In 2025, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that the United States would “aggressively” revoke visas of Chinese students, including those with connections to the Chinese Communist Party or studying in critical fields. President Donald Trump reversed course later that same year, saying that he would allow 600,000 Chinese students into the country.
There were just over 265,000 Chinese students in the U.S. during the 2024/25 academic year, according to Open Doors, an information resource on international students studying or teaching in the country.
